Name

Year

Credit

credited As

We've already discussed Easter Eggs in movies and the many ways filmmakers create in-jokes and references for savvy viewers and those in the know, but today we're taking a look at filmmakers referencing other filmmakers (or their stars...or themselves). We bet you'll never watch these movies the same way again.
Honoring Directors They Admire:
1. Star Wars in Star Trek
Paramount Pictures
It's no surprise that Super 8 director J. J. Abrams is a Star Wars fan, but we bet you never caught R2-D2's appearance in both Star Trek and Star Trek: Into Darkness. It looks like Star Wars: The Force Awakens won't be Abrams' first time with the Star Wars world.
Giving a Nod To Its Stars' Careers
2. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion's wink at Quentin Tarantino
Buena Vista Pictures
The comedy has a few subtle references to Quentin Tarantino's film universe. At the time, Mira Sorvino (Romy) was dating Tarantino. Thus, the keen eye can discern a Big Kahuna Burger take-out bag behind Michele's head in the scene where they pig out and decide to emulate top female executives. In one of the next scenes, an ad for Red Apple Cigarettes can be seen behind their car. Both of these brands were made up by Tarantino for his films. Red Apple cigarettes can be seen in films like Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Four Rooms, and From Dusk Til Dawn.
3. Bruce Willis' Favorite Song
20th Century Fox via Everett Collection
Die Hard With A Vengeance has a Pulp Fiction reference in it! Who knew? Bruce Willis' Pulp Fiction character, Butch, is driving around while "Flowers on the Wall" by the Statley Brothers plays on his radio and he sings along before running into Marsellus Wallace. Die Hard's John McClane exits a cab in the 1995 film with Samuel L. Jackson and references his time suspended by reciting the same lyrics from Pulp Fiction: "I was working on a nice fat suspension. Smokin cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo." Willis starred in Pulp Fiction with Jackson between Die Hard 2 and Die Hard With A Vengeance.
4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas with Rango
sodahead.com
The beginning of Rango features the Johnny Depp-voiced reptile landing on the windshield of a convertible driven by none other than Duke and Gonzo from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Johnny Depp paying tribute to Johnny Depp.
5. Adam Brody in Mr. &amp; Mrs. Smith
20th Century Fox via Everett Collection
Okay, maybe everyone just really loves Fight Club and Brad Pitt, right? In the 2005 rom-com action movie, Seth Cohen plays the man they're both assigned to kill, which is how they realize they're both spies. The whole time, Brody is wearing a Fight Club t-shirt. It's pretty obvious whose side he's on.
6. Fight Club Starring Brad Pitt
20 Century Fox
Fight Club has a bunch of hidden gems in it, including advertisements for its main stars. Theater marquees within the movie advertise films starring Brad Pitt (Seven Years In Tibet), Edward Norton (The People Vs. Larry Flynt), and even Helena Bonham Carter (The Wings of the Dove, although it's obscured by a bus in the scene, so this is questionable).
Paying Homage To Themselves:
7. The Social Network's Tyler Durden
Columbia Pictures
Fight Club's director David Fincher has also been known to reference his own movies. In The Social Network, Jesse Eisenberg's Zuckerberg uses Facebook for help on an Art History assignment. The profile he's viewing? Tyler Durden's.
8. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Warner Bros.
In the Tim Burton adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic, Charlie's father works for Smilex toothpaste factory; this is a reference to the poison Joker unleashed on Gotham in the Burton-directed Batman by hiding it in their toothpaste. During a tour of the factory, Wonka walks by a room of pink sheep as he says, "I'd rather not talk about this one." While this may just seem like a way to accentuate his eccentricity, Burton's actually referencing his Ed Wood biopic, also starring Johnny Depp; director Ed Wood was a notorious cross-dresser with an affinity for pink wool. In other scenes throughout the movie, children in the Halloween flashback wear masks of Lock, Shock, and Barrel from The Nightmare Before Christmas and a door in the factory is marked "BeetleJuicing."
9. Before Sunrise/Waking Life/Dazed and Confused
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Oscar-nominated writer-director Richard Linklater's film worlds seem to intersect at times. Like when Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reprise their characters Jesse and Celine from Before Sunrise in the rotoscope dream movie Waking Life, which they then reference in Before Sunset. But there are subtler ways in which the films inhabit the same world: pinball. The same pinball machine can be found in at least three of Linklater's films: Waking Life, Before Sunrise, and Dazed and Confused.
10. Friends With Benefits picks up Easy A
Screen Gems
Director Will Gluck references his 2010 hit comedy Easy A in the totally-okay-but-not-as-successful 2011 film Friends With Benefits. The sign at the airport for an "O. Penderghast" alludes to Emma Stone's character in Easy A. Stone appears in both films and is flawless in both.
Paying Tribute To Other Directors:
11. Indiana Jones/Star Wars/E.T.
Paramount Pictures
R2-D2 makes another appearance - this time in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spielberg paid tribute to Indiana Jones writer George Lucas by including hieroglyphics of the Star Wars droid in the 1981 film. Three years later, Spielberg did it again by naming a club in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom after Obi-Wan Kenobi.
12. E.T. in Star Wars
20th Century Fox
And then George Lucas thanks Steven Spielberg by featuring E.T. the Extra Terrestrial in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
13. Evil Dead 2/Nightmare on Elm Street
Paramount Pictures
Director Sam Raimi pays homage to Wes Craven in Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn by sneaking iconic slasher Freddy Krueger's glove in the background of a few scenes.
Paying Tribute To The Genre:
14. Scream
GIPHY/reddit.com
Scream is more jam-packed with references than most other movies. It's basically a two-hour homage to the horror genre entirely. The character Billy Loomis borrows his last name from Psycho's Sam Loomis before quoting Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. The janitor outside Principal Himbry's office (played by director Wes Craven himself) is named Fred and wears Freddy Krueger's iconic striped shirt. The film is so saturated with in-jokes and references that it's pretty easy for even the most savvy viewers to miss Scream Queen Linda Blair's brief cameo. Take comfort in understanding the constant name-checking of other horror flicks.

Getty Images
When drag queens, rock and roll legends, murderous social climbers and tap dancing gangsters come together, it can only mean one thing: the Tony Awards. The biggest night on Broadway made its way to Radio City Music Hall Sunday night to celebrate the best and most unforgettable performances of the season, and while the show had its fair share of historical moments, show-stopping numbers and mind-blowing spectacle, the 2014 Tonys stood out for another reason – they were just plain weird.
From the moment that host Hugh Jackman hopped his way across the screen as part of the opening number it was clear that this year’s awards were going to be a memorable event, and between the impromptu rap numbers, the countless teleprompter issues and Neil Patrick Harris giving everyone a lap dance, the night only got stranger and stranger. It might be hard to believe that there's anything stranger than the idea of Barney Stinson in heels and a miniskirt or Rocky becoming a hit musical, but this year's Tonys managed to make both of those things seem downright normal with all of the confusing moments and odd numbers they unveiled, starting with that opening bit...
Hugh Jackman Bounces Back to Broadway After handing over hosting duties to Harris for the last several years, everyone was expecting Jackman to go big for his return to the Tonys stage. Instead, he went old-school, and spent four minutes hopping around Radio City Music Hall, meeting with all of the actors and checking out all of the shows, in an homage to Bobby Van’s “Take Me to Broadway.” It was a nice tribute to his love of the theater, but for an award show that prides itself on big production numbers and a host who loves a great song-and-dance moment, it was a slightly confusing, slightly underwhelming choice.
Clint Eastwood Loses the Teleprompter We’re not sure if the teleprompters weren’t working or if the champagne was just flowing a little too freely backstage, but almost every presenter struggled to get their words out (or, in Fran Drescher’s case, to read the names in the right order). However, no mispronunciations or flubbed cues held a candle to the rambling, confusing speech that Eastwood gave before giving out the directing awards. We think it had something to do with directing, the theater and the importance of remembering your glasses before you head out onstage, but we’d be lying if we said we could follow any of the nonsense he mumbled.
Neil Patrick Harris Licks Samuel L. Jackson’s Glasses Well, technically Hedwig did. During his raucous performance with the rest of the cast of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Harris took to the audience to make Orlando Bloom take part in a “car wash,” give Sting a lap dance, and make out with his husband David Burtka. Somewhere in there, he decided to steal the glasses of the most intimidating man in the audience, thoroughly clean them with his tongue and the place them delicately back on his face. See that mix of bewilderment, fear, and excitement on Jackson’s face? That’s the only appropriate reaction to have in a situation like that.
Jackman, T.I. and LL Cool J Rap The Music Man If you’ve ever listened to a recording of The Music Man and thought that what Harold Hill really needed were some sick beats, we have some good news for you. Over a beat from Questlove, Jackman, T.I. and LL Cool J (because the Tonys air on CBS) freestyled about the hardships of making a living by selling trombones, while the older members of the audience stood there uncomfortably, looking confused and terrified.
Rocky: The Musical Is All Scrap, No Song Look, when your whole show builds to an elaborate, full-contact boxing match complete with an announcer, jumbotron and full-scale ring, you want to show off all of the hard work and preparation that went into putting that number together. Still, would it have killed the Rocky producers to have their leading man Andy Karl sing a few bars? This is the Tony Awards, after all; if we wanted to watch people fight without bursting into song, we’d switch over to Game of Thrones.
Jennifer Hudson Gets an 11 O’Clock Number (Literally) We’re all for producers using the Tonys to preview some of the shows headed to the Great White Way in the upcoming season, but that doesn’t explain why the number promoting Finding Neverland – a show that won’t open for another year, featuring a performer who isn’t even part of the cast – interrupted the biggest awards of the night and forced the producers of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder to rush through their Best Musical acceptance speech. Maybe if someone had kept Eastwood on script, Hudson’s diva moment could have come at a more appropriate point in the show. Like as a replacement for whatever dreary song Sting broke out.
Sting is Writing a Musical This one’s self-explanatory.
Who Wrote Jackman’s Bits? If nothing else, this year’s Tony Awards were an experiment to see whether a three-hour show could be carried on nothing but Hugh Jackman’s charisma. Most of his bits were a little odd, relying on his good looks and smooth voice to carry him through to the next introduction, as if the whole show were thrown together during his downtime on the X-Men press tour. The fact that everything still worked is a testament to the sheer force of Jackman’s charm, and our willingness to forgive a great deal for a well-executed soft shoe.
Follow @hollywood_com
//
Follow @julesemm
//

Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
Follow @Michael Arbeiter
//
| Follow @Hollywood_com
//

Michael Jackson's nephew T.J. broke down in tears in court on Thursday (27Jun13) as he opened up about the late King of Pop, describing the star as his "mentor" following the tragic death of his mother in 1994. T.J. Jackson, son of Michael's brother Tito, testified in Los Angeles as part of the ongoing wrongful death trial against bosses at concert promoters AEG Live, and explained that he agreed to step up and become a co-guardian of the singer's three children because of the close relationship he had shared with his uncle.
The former 3T singer revealed the superstar had given him extra guidance as he struggled to come to terms with the drowning murder of his mum, DeDe Jackson, and he felt compelled to do the same for his young cousins, Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket, after the Thriller hitmaker's unexpected passing in 2009.
He acknowledged the troubles 15-year-old Paris has faced since the huge loss, although he stopped short of specifically mentioning her apparent suicide attempt which landed her in hospital earlier this month (Jun13).
He told the court that he was working hard to help the embattled teen, but confessed, "It's tough. She was daddy's girl. My uncle was her world."
Calling Paris the "princess" of the King of Pop's world, he added, "Paris has a heart of gold. I just think the loss of my uncle has hit her at a different level. She's in a tough spot, but we're all loving her and doing everything we can to get her where she should be."
The defence lawyers then aired a music video 3T had recorded with the pop icon, after which Jackson said, "He was just everything", before being overcome with emotion.
During the testimony, Jackson also touched on the paparazzi attention his three charges attract and claimed, "In my opinion, I know it's making everything harder for the kids to grieve and recover and progress."
He also used the opportunity to voice his support for actress Halle Berry and her efforts to ban snappers from taking pictures of stars' kids, saying, "I think it's awful what they get away with."
T.J. Jackson's testimony came a day after Prince Michael took the stand in the wrongful death case.
Jackson matriarch Katherine and the singer's three children are suing AEG Live chiefs amid allegations they were responsible for hiring Dr. Conrad Murray, who is serving time on involuntary manslaughter charges for administering the drug overdose which killed the King of Pop, and ignoring key signs the superstar was seriously ill prior to his passing in 2009.

A Los Angeles judge has approved a request from Michael Jackson's estate executors to award the late star's nephew financial compensation for taking care of the King of Pop's children. A California judge awarded Tito Jackson's son, T.J., and mother Katherine co-guardianship of the Thriller hitmaker's kids, Prince, Paris and Blanket, last July (12) following a major family feud, which began when the matriarch was reported missing during a 10-day vacation.
The 34 year old, who is married and has three children of his own, has allegedly not received any money to help cover the cost of raising his cousins, and in March (13), estate officials filed legal papers asking that he be handed $9,000 (£5,625)-a-month in parental support, stating, "The amount of time each week he dedicates to his co-guardianship duties, is an impediment to T.J. pursuing his own career and other income generating activities."
According to TMZ.com, the request was approved last week (13Apr13) by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, who ruled, "(T.J.) performs valuable services for the benefit of the children and that it is in their best interests that he continue to do so."

Impossibly voluminousness hair. More neon pink than a Barbie Dream House. Sky high heels. Ever-present pasties. Makeup more flawless than a porcelain doll. These are things we expect from pop star and American Idol judge Nicki Minaj, but these things could soon become nothing more than a memory. Minaj has reportedly let her stylist and hairdresser go according to The Sun, causing us to fear her signature eccentric look will soon be a thing of the past.
RELATED: Ryan Seacrest Defends Nicki Minaj
Sure, Minaj has gotten out of control on occasion, wearing ill-fitting outfits and at times eschewing fit or flattery for pomp and insanity, but recently, she's started to rein it in and find the sweet spot between looking like a doll covered in glue and rolled through a kids' playroom and looking like a sleek music industry maven. Her recent appearances on Idol have seen her with sleek hair, flawless stage makeup and unique dresses that blend her signature for over-the-top flair with a side of the real world she used to go so long without.
But, if Minaj does fire her hairdresser and stylist and go for a more serious look, things could get really run of the mill and fast. Sure, Minaj has faced more heated criticism of her eccentricities of late thanks to her vulnerable position as one of the faces of American Idol. Most recently, her commentary garnered heavy booing from the crowd in Las Vegas during Idol's sudden death eliminations, despite the fact that her commentary often matched up to seasoned Idol judge Randy Jackson. The rapper/singer has faced harsh criticisms since she stepped foot onto the Idol set, and perhaps all the backlash has her thinking. Let's just hope it has her thinking of a way to take her signature style and refine it.
RELATED: In Defense of Nicki Minaj on 'Idol'
It's one thing to try to get out from under the overwhelming facade of an outrageous wardrobe and attempt to legitmize oneself, it's another to completely chuck it. Nicki has created a style all her own, and while it's not who she is in a nutshell, it's an expression of who she is. Refine it, update it, make it new, but don't let it go all together.
You're weird and wonderful, Miss Minaj. Keep letting that freak flag fly.
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: FameFlyNet]
From Our Partners:Justin Bieber Celebrates 19th Birthday, Loses His Pants (Vh1)60 Celebrity Bikini Bodies: Guess Who! (Celebuzz)

Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. Because if Thursday’s episode of American Idol is any indication, a large part of the series’ audience has no idea what a good singer sounds like, and next week, those people are going to start determining who goes home.
Throughout Thursday’s episode, during which the final 10 guys sang for their spots in the top 20, the judges were at odds with the audience, who were apparently watching a different show than the rest of us. When Nicki Minaj or Randy Jackson would do their jobs and point out the issues with each singer’s performance, the audience would not only groan, but boo so vehemently that at one point Nicki was forced to fire back at them just so she could finish speaking. This is not good news.
RELATED: Nicki Minaj is the Best Thing To Happen to 'Idol'
Next week, half of the performers in our top 20 will be voted off the show, and if the sizable audience in Las Vegas couldn’t tell the difference between a cute guy with little talent and a truly spectacular performer, how can we trust the audience at home? Perhaps we should just hope and pray that the people in Las Vegas were just drunk off the fumes from all the spilled alcohol throughout the streets of the party town.
But complaints aside, the main event of the evening were the performances, because surprise, that’s the point of the show.
First up is the never totally pleasant Mathenee Treco, who continues his trend of wasting the parts of his performance style that are appealing by covering them up with his brand of bro karaoke. He’s got a good voice under it all, but the guy has no idea what to do with it. His rendition of “A Little Less Conversation” is spastic and unpleasant; he allows the song to take him over and it swallows him whole. Randy, Nicki, and Keith dislike the performance, though Nicki’s the only one who points out that it’s the fault of Mathenee’s cheese-factor and not just his poor song choice. Mariah says she likes him, because she’s proved she can offer no other commentary, but it’s not enough to keep him from going home.
RELATED: The Problem With 'American Idol'
Gupreet Singh Sarin follows Mathenee right out the door, and to be honest, I have no idea how this guy got this far in the first place. Sure, Nicki loves him, but even in his last performance, which all of the judges reminisce about as some great “moment” (and we all know how they love those moments), Gupreet was only mediocre. This week, “Nothing Ever Hurt Like You” is just plain awful. There’s nothing remarkable about any of it. His vocals are boring and off-key. It feels like the last hour at a wedding when your drunk cousin grabs the mic and starts making up words to all the instrumental parts of songs. It’s terrible and even Mariah agrees, though she’s not quite at Nicki’s level of “Hell. No.”
Finally, one of the guys is worth watching. Vincent Powell is someone I could actually imagine voting for. While his look is somewhat stolen from Cee-Lo Green’s closet, his performance of “Because I Love You” is pretty incredible. He’s got an interesting voice, control over his vocals, and a knack for completely organic runs. The guy’s got what everyone in this competition keeps pretending to have: a sense of artistry. Luckily, the judges saw the same thing I did (though I didn’t quite have the panty-throwing urge Nicki was clearly having) and Randy even connected Vincent’s style to Miguel and Frank Ocean, two artists who are owning this moment in music. He’s a real singer and he makes sense in the current scene, so thankfully he’s sticking around for the big vote next week.
Delivering a bit of a disappointing number is Nick Boddington, who tries “Say Something Now.” This guy was so incredible during Hollywood week, but Thursday’s performance is boring. He’s got a nice voice, but there’s little connection to the song. It’s something Keith and Nicki pick up on, but Randy says he knows Nick can do better if he could just get himself one of those moments Randy never stops ranting about. Regardless, Nick was happy in the final moments of the episode, because he managed to eke out a spot in the top 20.
RELATED: 'Idol' Recap: Good Girls Go Home
And from a lack of connection to a lack of touch, the famous pants-ripper Josh Holliday steps onstage to sing an original song he wrote during Hollywood Week. You’d think the guy would want to do a song that’s had a little more time to gestate, but this is the person who didn’t think before doing a split in non-stretch khakis on a stage in front of 20 guys and four industry experts. The performance is alright and almost a little tender when Josh starts at the piano, but as he continues singing his trite lyrics and gets up from the piano to dance around and feign emotion, any potential he had dissipates immediately. He’s showy and cloying, not passionate, and the judges can feel it. Keith gets away with saying Josh needed to be more passionate, but Nicki is booed to death by the audience when she dares to suggest that Josh wasn’t all that great (now, if only she wasn’t totally and completely CORRECT). Randy’s not impressed and even Mariah defers her commentary to the audience, suggesting “Well, at least the audience sure loved it.”
And this is why I’m worried. Josh was not good. If we’re going to sugarcoat it, sure, he lacked passion, but the audience couldn’t even deal with the suggestion that it wasn’t great. These people are going to be the ones sending good singers home next week. Luckily, Josh is sent home, so he won’t be around to cloud their judgement.
The judges aren’t always right though. David Wallis makes a mistake with his song choice, but still manages to prove he’s a good singer who’s ready to take his talent to the next level. He sings “Fever” and it leaves him in a bit of a rut until he gets to the song’s finale and breaks out something a little special. And even though he gets a little too comfortable in his little rocking back and forth groove, it’s a good groove. Randy and Keith like it, but they think he needs a bigger opportunity to show off. Nicki thinks it’s amateur and that he wasn’t current enough, but perhaps that’s because his rendition wasn’t super sexy. Either way, his journey ends, likely so Lazaro Arbos, the heartbreaking so-so singer can stay on a little longer.
Bryant Tadeo of Hawaii takes us into his laid back world, but perhaps we takes it back one too many notches. His performance of “New York State of Mind” shows that he’s clearly got a good voice, but man is it cheesy and boring. You can’t do this song with this arrangement without it feeling dated unless you are the Piano Man, himself. While Keith likes it, Nicki hates everything except for the last couple of notes, earning her some serious anger from the crowd. But Randy agrees, saying the song didn’t go anywhere and as the crowd loses its mind over the truth, Mariah brings them back into “woo-hoo” territory when she simply says he sounded “professional.” That’s not a compliment, Mariah. I have a green shift dress that is very professional, but I never wear it because it’s no fun and I’d much rather wear basically anything else I own. “Professional” is not the mark of a good performer, sweetheart, and it’s not the mark of someone who gets a spot in the top 20.
Thankfully, the bad taste in our mouths is abolished by the sweet, sweet singing of my favorite guy on the show, Burnell Taylor of New Orleans. He wisely and bravely chooses “This Time” by John Legend, which is an excellent song choice because he’s got a voice in Legend’s genre without sounding exactly him. He’s good, a little strange in his movements, but totally genuine. While Burnell doesn’t have a huge range, he’s a great singer and the sort of person whose effortless style ropes an audience in until they're hopelessly devoted to his every last work. He’s got it all. He’s wonderful. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s super cute. While Keith and Randy simply love it, Nicki has to take it up a notch: she would pay to hear him sing RIGHT. NOW. BOO. And while Nicki connects to his story of misfortune (which is exactly what we hate about Idol), it is actually very sweet that she wholeheartedly thinks he deserves it. Mariah pitches in and says a lot of things, but it’s not worth trying to crack that code because no one doubted that Burnell was going to be asked to stay on for another week.
RELATED: Is This Girl Already a Frontrunner on 'Idol'?
Now comes the hard part: total sweetheart and chronic stutterer Lazaro Arbos hits the stage looking dapper in his bright pink button-up and little black bowtie to take on Keith’s song “Tonight I Wanna Cry.” He’s a sweet, loveable guy, but he’s simply out of place in the competition. And it’s not for lack of vocal quality: it’s lack of training. Another year, after some training, perhaps Lazaro could be a strong enough performer and confident enough to be a real contender. This year, he’s either going to get swallowed up, or pushed along through the competition with sympathy votes until voters can’t support him any more. But he doesn’t deserve that. This sweet guy deserves to be told the truth, do some work to better his performance, and return triumphantly like the girls’ Candice Glover did this season. Still, the judges can’t send him home and he stays on for another week.
For the finale, the show gives us Cortez Shaw, who’s still a little too cocky for his own good. He does a slow rendition of “Titanium” by David Guetta, which is a song I hate and if I’m being honest, I spent the first half of Cortez’s performance trying desperately to conquer my hatred. Once that subsided enough to hear clearly, it was obvious that Cortez’s vocal range is a thing of beauty; he can hit high notes that most men can’t even dream of. But as Keith points out, his chosen tune exposes all the flaws in his voice and while the good parts are great, the connecting parts are lacking. It’s something that can’t last if this guy is to stick around and become a serious performer. Nicki doesn’t seem to see an issue because she’s blinded but the fact that she finds Cortez sexy. (Hey, let’s give the girl a break. Getting booed for two hours probably does something a little unkind to one’s brain.)
Mariah is impressed (or something, who knows what she was really saying), but it’s Randy’s comment that really seals the deal for Cortez before he’s told he gets to stay: according to Mr. Yo Dawg, Cortez is extremely current and marketable. And to some extent it’s true. He’s handsome and has a smooth voice, but is he one of a kind? So far, no. Still, he’s another crowd favorite and if the applause is any indication, this crooner is going to take one of the few spots available to the Idol finalists at the end of next week. Color me as concerned as can be.
Are you worried that voters will pick the wrong singers next week? Who can’t you live without?
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: Michael Becker/Fox]
From Our Partners:25 Most Scandalous Celeb Twitpics (Vh1)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)

The gender disparity continues on American Idol, where the girls present quite the conundrum for the judges in week two of the sudden death rounds.
While this whole process (eschewing group numbers and integrated sexes for individual, last ditch performance rounds for two entire weeks) seems so very un-Idol, it is doing one very important thing: it’s giving a strong appreciation of a few ridiculously strong ladies (and on the guys’ night, an overzealous distaste for the men in the competition). Luckily, Wednesday night was one for the ladies. Still, that doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed girls who can do no wrong.
First up is Melinda Ademi, who’s back for a second shot on Idol. Like Angela Miller before her, she sings “Nobody’s Perfect” by Jessie J, and if her Lisa Frank wardrobe and over-the-top performance aren’t enough, the fact that Nicki can only compare her to the flawless Angela is a surefire way to follow the yellow brick road on home. Melinda, who told the judges she was only trying to use “her artistry,” is cut from the competition.
RELATED: 'Idol' Recap: Vegas Sudden Death Round 1
The first girl to earn a spot to continue on is our returning singer Candice Glover, who sings “(You Make Me Feel) A Natural Woman” in a very Kelly Clarkson sort of way. It’s almost effortless, it’s old fashioned, but it’s easy to see how Glover’s voice might work on a pop song. Now, like Randy mentions, we’ve seen incredible things from Candice and for her, this was just alright. Still, if this is Candice’s “alright,” just imagine what she can do with one of Randy’s “moments.” Naturally, she stays.
Next up is my own personal heartbreaker. Fifteen-year-old Juliana Chahayed sings Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper,” and while she delivers a fantastic, moving performance the young lady doesn’t stay. She slows the song down and makes it her own (and far more enjoyable than the original), but her voice is thin and she experiences pitch problems here and there. Unfortunately, it’s not something the judges can get past with the ladies (though it would result in a gold star for the dudes). Sweet little Juliana is sent home, but at least she’s got plenty of time to get this whole thing down and try again. Let's remember, she's only 15.
Next, Jett Hermano sings a slow version of “Only Girl” by Rihanna while sitting at a piano. It was an intriguing performance and one marked by Jett’s ability to belt out some serious notes. And while Keith loves the “sexier” arrangement, Nicki and Randy want more, supposing that she was going to pull out the biggest stops at the end of the song. She doesn't and they lose their faith, so much so that Jett is sent home by the end of the night.
RELATED: 'Idol' Recap: We Have a Huge Problem
On her last shot at the Idol title is 29-year-old Cristabel Clack. And unfortunately her journey ends too soon. She sings “No One” by Alicia Keys, trying so hard to make it her own, but she gets a little too squeaky at the beginnings of phrases and a little out of control, adding runs here and there because she’s trying so hard to differentiate herself from Keys. I’m interested to see her sing something that isn’t by someone so close to her style so she can show us who she is rather than just trying to cover up her similarities to the artist she’s covering. Unfortunately for the mother of three, she’s headed home. And the next contestant stupidly tries Beyonce on for size.
Aubrey Cleland sings “Sweet Dreams” by Beyonce and while she also slows the song down like Jessica Sanchez did last season when she rocked it, it doesn’t quite work here. Aubrey is a fantastic singer and she looks great on stage, so she gets a spot in the final five, but the slow rendition of the song quite literally takes away the difficult part of singing it, much of which is the simple aspect of keeping up with the incredible pace at with Beyonce is able to perform.
Finally, the almost-reject from Hollywood week, Rachel Hale takes her shot with a song we’ve already heard her sing: “Nothing But the Water” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. She gets to her big moments at the end of the song, but everything leading up to those moments is abysmal. Eventually, the song gets to be very nice, but there’s no way any successful singer could turn you off that much at the beginning of a song and have you stick around for the thrilling conclusion. Randy and Nicki both love it, which is makes it all feel a little strange when they decide to cut Rachel and keep Janelle Arthur, who sings a sweet (but boring) Lady Antebellum song.
RELATED: Do We Already Have an 'Idol' Frontrunner?
Powerhouse Breanna Steer takes on “Bust Your Windows” by Jazmine Sullivan, and while the arrangement she uses makes the song sound like nothing more than good karaoke ballad, Randy and Nicki are sure she’s “sexy on a stick” and ready to be signed to a label (not that they’re willing to do that instead of throwing her through the Idol ringer). Still, it’s no wonder she’s got a spot in the top 10 ladies group.
Janelle Arthur scrapes by on the skin of her teeth with the overdone cover of “Just a Kiss” by Lady Antebellum. It was nice, but it wasn’t the right song to wake up non-country fans who might just want to hear something they can connect to. Her good voice keeps her on the show, but she’s still just another sweet blonde country singer. She has pitch issues here and there, but that’s not the issue. She’s just bland. The strange thing is, the judges all seem to agree, but they keep her on.
Finally, we learn why the judges wanted Zoanette Johnson all along: she’s actually really, really good. With her blond afro picked out as she sings “The Circle of Life” from The Lion King, it makes sense as to why she’s still on show. She can sing, actually. Where we would hear screeching before, now there’s simply a rich voice that makes sense in this competition - even with all the outside nonsense. How the judges knew that was in there from Day One is a mystery I’ll never understand, but it’s a risk that may just actually pay off, especially now that Zoanette is staying on.
The cuts were incredibly harsh tonight, do you think any of the rejected ladies deserved to stay?
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: Michael Becker/Fox (2)]
From Our Partners:25 Most Scandalous Celeb Twitpics (Vh1)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)

This is not okay.
Since Jordin Sparks won her rightful title at the end of Season 6, American Idol has continued to crown the cute boy mafia winners. Even during Season 9, when no cute boys were to be found in the finals, America went with the infinitely uninspiring Lee Dwyze over talented lady Crystal Bowersox. The ladies, as it turns out, are at a disadvantage on this show. But then comes Season 12, with a surplus of awe-inspiring ladies and a dearth of male singers who are even a fraction as talented and stage-ready as the women in the competition. Yet, this season, producers are intent on giving each sex an equal set of opportunities to be represented in the group of 12 finalists up for America’s votes.
That would be great if out of the 10 guys who auditioned during the second Las Vegas episode, I could name a single one that belongs on the Idol stage in L.A. Sure, the little quips and crazy comments from the judges are somewhat amusing. The battle between Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj raging all night was diverting. Keith Urban was loveable as always. Mariah Carey is apparently campaigning to be the new Paula Abdul, as the deliverer of incomprehensible and useless commentary at the end of every performance, but she too was at least somewhat entertaining. Still, these little distractions aren’t enough to curb my blind rage over the sheer lack of value in any of the evening’s performances.
RELATED: 'American Idol' Recap: One Big Surprise
Idol and these 10 young men just wasted two hours of our lives, and no matter how hard we try, we’ll never get them back. I don’t know about you, but I’m seething.
The evening didn’t start with rage, though. First up is lovely human Paul Jolley, who bravely attempts a song outside of his genre and one by Keith, “Tonight I Wanna Cry.” We know Paul can sing, but this performance is screechy, unpleasant, and over-performed. Oh, and he’s very handsome. The judges are gracious, but no one’s willing to truly praise Paul’s performance except for Mariah, who apparently thinks judges on this show should “nitpick.” Ahem, Miss Carey? I think that lack of nitpicking is what got us in this pickle in the first place.
Idol’s wave of mediocrity continues with returning whipping boy Johnny Keyser, who’s being jerked around by the series for a second time. He’s got a pleasant quality to his voice and Nicki finds him wildly attractive, but he’s simply not strong enough to be here. He wasn’t last year either, yet the judges brought him through to this point both times. Singing “When I Look Into Your Eyes” with a Leave it to Beaver haircut and his crisp, white shirt strategically opened to expose his silver cross necklace, Keyser is still simply vanilla. There’s nothing compelling about his performance, even if you’re just here for the view. He’s simply not engaging. But still, the judges keep it civil. Keith and Nicki love him, even if Nicki didn’t like that whole part where he was moving his voice up and down. But he’s cute, so who cares? Even Randy isn’t that tough on the guy, saying he’s great but he just needs to make us feel something when he sings, you know that thing where music is a serious of sounds that’s meant to elicit an emotional response? Do that. Mariah agrees, but thinks his sexy ass is more important than knowing how to sing. This is when the rage began to form.
As my anger simmered, JDA took the stage singing “Rumor Has It” by Adele. I’d like to preface my scathing criticism of JDA by saying that the fact that he dresses the way he does and loves glitter as much as he does have nothing to do with my inability to praise this performance. I wanted so badly for the guy who endured such prejudice during Hollywood Group Night to step onto this stage and blow away the snooze-worthy guys who came before him. But he doesn't do that. His vocals are weak and wavering. He planned dance moves for every lyric, but they aren't fluid or interesting. This entire performance is amateur hour, from start to finish. Yet, even when the judges so clearly want to tell him it isn't up to snuff, they go easy, telling him that his performance is great and that the vocals need work. False. The entire performance needs help. It is not good. And no amount of whatever Mariah means by JDA’s “bigness” is going to change that.
RELATED: Is This Girl Already an 'Idol' Frontrunner?
The rage subsided a tad when Kevin Harris took the stage. His song choice is all wrong, but the man has a sweet quality to his voice that’s simply a delight to hear. When he reaches the end of “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,” he falters a bit, falling into off-key territory, and the performance itself lacks teeth on account of his choice to sing a song that we’ve all heard far too many times and his indecision about which part of his voice to show off at the end. (He wavers between vibrato and falsetto cumbersomely.) Keith is underwhelmed, Nicki thinks it’s perfection but that his sweet personality isn’t enough for America (not everyone has to be a Barb, Nicki). Randy is bored, and even the woman who loves everything, Mariah, thinks he chose the wrong song. Look, the guy cannot compare to the ladies chosen to stay on Wednesday night (and maybe even some of the ones who went home), but he does better than anyone who came before him. And the rage escalates.
Next, we’re dealt a performance from head-scarf-enthusiast Chris Watson. He picks, shocker of all shockers, the most overused Idol semi-finals song ever “Sitting On The Dock of the Bay.” But if the lack of originality wasn’t enough, his two and a half minutes of fame are spent focusing on his ability to gyrate and point at his “adoring” public, instead of, oh I don’t know, singing the song with any level of vocal talent or quality. Keith and Randy like his vibe, but find a nice way to tell the dude his singing is weak. Nicki and Mariah, forever the issue, are in love with the pretty boy. Nicki thinks he's the “prettiest man I’ve seen in my life” and Mariah’s Butterfly Dreams tour tells her that he’s beautiful and the fact that his vocals “weren’t the best” is totally okay in a singing competition. So. Much. Rage.
Finally, (and I thought) thankfully, Devin Velez takes the stage. He's the great hope. The one chance to turn the night around. His unique song choice, “Listen” from Dreamgirls is a brave one. Maybe all's not lost. But when he approaches the huge song, it still feels small. It's clear as he approaches the wise marketing decision that was the Spanish-language section of the song, he becomes concerned about hitting it right and the first part of the song suffers. Still, Devin is better than everyone who came before him, not that he would have any right to let that go to his head. Randy, however, is so excited about listening to someone whose voice is an actual singing voice, that he bursts with joy, calling Devin “amazing” when what he really deserved was “that was nice.” (And yes, I’m considering what a tough song “Listen” actually is.) Mariah is the only one with real criticism (shocker of all shockers) and she tells him that he was too in his head to deliver a really great performance. And that’s when I got angry about the fact that Randy and Nicki were making me so crazy that I agreed with loopy spirit guide, Mariah Carey.
The (frustrated, angry, aggressive) beat went on with young Elijah Liu, whose Bieber antics are obnoxious, but at the very least, they represent someone who might actually have a shot of entertaining someone in the real world after Idol. He sings “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars, and he’s clearly studied how to be just like the multi-platinum artist because he feels like a caricature of what a modern pop performance should be. He gets a little shaky towards the end, but all in all, he’s managed to replicate the pop persona that’s managing to drive teen girls wild right now. Everyone but Randy loves this kid to death. Randy doesn’t dig his vocals, but likes his swag, however his commentary can’t compete with Nicki, who says she wants to have the 18-year-old’s babies, and Mariah, who’s so completely obsessed with the kid’s mixed heritage that she forgets to say something useful.
Rage turns to sadness when my favorite little youngster, Charlie Askew, takes the stage to take on “Rocket Man” by Elton John. His vocals are a mess, and despite the admirable way in which Charlie actually appears to be on this show to actually feel something through music, his silliness gets the better of him. I’m not sure if his visible case of nerves encouraged him to turn on the goof factor as a defense mechanism, or what, but the result wasn’t a performance I’d like to remember. That being said, he is still more compelling than most of his competitors, something the judges acknowledge until Randy finally cages my rage and exclaims, “Forget singing tonight! Let’s just all perform.” Because this definitely isn’t a show about singing. Not tonight, anyway.
RELATED: 'American Idol' Recap: Ladies Light Up Hollywood Week
The second-to-last disappointment of the night is Jimmy Smith, the strange, boring 1990s Dawson Leery-esque country singer who loves Keith. He sings a song Keith himself was covering when he sang it, “Raining on Sunday,” and it’s a risk that did not pay off. At all. It’s spotty and boring, like the last karaoke song on a rainy Tuesday night when everyone left in the bar is too drunk or tired or disappointed with their life decisions to heckle the singer. The auditorium was silent. No one is impressed, but don’t worry, Mariah still loves him and thinks she’s the best because her role this evening is apparently the captain of the self-esteem patrol.
And if she’s the captain of the patrol, her main focus is Curtis Finch, who she praises so hyperbolically I worry he might fly up into the atmosphere the next time she speaks to him. He sings “Superstar” by the Carpenters, and while vocally and technically, it was the best performance of the night, it’s not a good performance. It’s cheesy and over-performed. It feels like a performance by some nameless singer for a bunch of folks who just want to hear a nice voice serenade them with the classics. It has no mark of artistry, it’s all a show. Randy and Keith agree, but again, the ladies are bowled over by Curtis’ voice.
It’s something that didn’t stand for the ladies on Wednesday night, just ask eliminated contestants Brandy Hotard or Isabelle, of only one name. Both women possess incredible sets of pipes. They can hit full, high notes with ease, but they’re not compelling performers and they’re not packaged for a modern audience. That’s a sin on girls’ night, but here, in the delusional warmth of super swell guys’ night, it’s not a problem at all.
Eventually, the judges make some cuts, and one even needs the advice of Jimmy Iovine, the tie-breaker, but it doesn’t really matter. The talent in this room is an insultingly small fraction of the talent on the girls’ side. Sticking around, because five people had to stay somehow, are Curtis, Elijah, Charlie, Paul, and Devin. Going home are Jimmy, Kevin, JDA, Chris, and poor, tortured Johnny Keyser. There are a few shakeups in these results, but in the end none of it is all that surprising.
No matter what, we are given a line-up of contenders who can’t hold a teeny, tiny birthday candle to the ladies, we gave them two hours of our lives, and five of these undeserving singers got to stay. There is something to be said for giving singers second chances, because not every performance can be amazing, but there’s something wrong with a talent competition that spends two hours giving credence to a group of folks who give us no clear indication that any of them is significantly more talented me when I’ve have a few too many drinks and I suddenly think that singing Carrie Underwood lyrics in public is a good idea.
You’ve wasted our time, Idol, and I mean it when I say, it’s simply not okay.
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: Michael Becker/Fox (2)]
From Our Partners:25 Forgotten Celebrity Crushes of the ‘90s (Vh1)30 Stars Who Have Gone Topless (Celebuzz)